This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
If you already love poppy seed chicken casserole, mine is the one to try. I add Parmesan to the filling, and I swear that little extra salty, cheesy bite makes all the difference. And don’t even get me started on that buttery Ritz topping!
Come for the Chicken, Stay for the Ritz
- Quick and easy: It’s ready in just 35 minutes with simple ingredients and minimal prep. Just like my funeral potato and chicken casserole.
- Creamy and crunchy: The rich chicken filling and buttery Ritz topping give you the best of both textures.
- Great for busy nights: Rotisserie chicken makes this casserole even faster to throw together.
A Reader’s Review
This is my favorite poppyseed chicken recipe! Others I’ve tried were lackluster. The parmesan cheese makes this recipe stand out. The only changes I make is more poppyseed and less butter. (I use one tablespoon of poppyseed and 1/2 stick butter.)
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Ingredients
- Chicken: Cooked shredded chicken breasts make this easy to throw together! Using rotisserie chicken makes it even easier!
- Sour Cream: Greek yogurt works as well! It’s a great, healthier, high protein substitute.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Cream of mushroom or cream of celery are a tasty option if you don’t have chicken!
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe
This poppyseed chicken casserole is the ultimate comfort food. With a creamy filling and buttery cracker topping. For another cozy dinner, try my chicken and stuffing casserole or make crockpot poppy seed chicken instead.
- Prep the Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then spray a 2-quart or 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the Filling: Add the chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, Parmesan cheese, and poppy seeds to a large bowl.
- Spread: Stir until combined. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Top and Bake: Mix the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle cracker mixture over the chicken. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
- 9×9 Inch Baking Dish: For baking the casserole.
- Mixing Bowls: For making the filling and topping.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 (10.75- ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 2-quart or 9 X 9 X 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 1 cup sour cream, 1 (10.75- ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, and 2 teaspoons poppy seeds.
- Mix to combine well, and spread along the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a medium bowl, add 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers and ½ cup melted unsalted butter . Stir to combine and sprinkle on top of the chicken mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the unbaked casserole without the Ritz topping for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the topping, then bake as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve With Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Serve it over white rice or egg noodles, with a side of roasted broccoli. Here are a few other options.
I love this recipe! But my family hunts and I’ve also made it with pheasant breast. It was great!
This is the exact recipe and exbf showed me and I fell in love, however he cooked his chicken in carrots and celery, he threw it out but I added the veggies. Both are delicious. I LOVE THIS RECIPE!
Been making this for years but I add a pkg out frozen broccoli and 2 cups out cheddar cheese. Leave out the poppy seeds as my daughter doesn’t like them to get stuck in her teeth lol
The whole family loved this!
Very good, very typical ingredients. I’m wondering why bother with poppy seeds that have no flavor and get stuck in your teeth? Are they for looks only?
Love it!! It is definitely a keeper. I’m curious…Should I have toasted the poppy seeds first???
For the nutrition facts on this, what was the serving size? Or how many servings does this make!?
I am in the process of adding in nutritional information at this time. In the mean time you can use myfitnesspal.com.
One of the pictures shows rice in this dish. Do you have another recipe that has rice in it? Think that might be good too.
Yes, we love to make rice on the side with green beans to make it a complete dinner! Hope you can do the same!
Hi! Can I put this together the day before and refrigerate until ready to bake?
Yes, that sounds great! Enjoy!
This dish looks delicious, and I am anxious to try it. My question is what way do cook your chicken, do you just brown the cubes or how do you cook it to begin with. Thanks so much.
You can do either! I like to cook the whole chicken at once and then cut it into cubes or you can prepare the chicken and cut it cubbed and then add it to the dish. Either way will be great! Enjoy your chicken casserole!
How long can you keep dish frozen? I know a lot of people say cream based dishes aren’t the best frozen too long.
I would recommend 3 to 6 months frozen for meals. It is a great meal and I recommend eating it cooked and served but a frozen meal is great for the future. Enjoy! XOXO
Been making this for over 20 years!! Definitely an easy go-to!
Another winner! My family loved it!
This recipe looks very tasty. I was reading through the ingredients and noticed it calls for 1/2 shredded parmesan cheese. What is the unit of measure?
Thank you for letting me know. It is half a cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy! XOXO
Thank you so much. I’ve been making quite afew of your recipes lately. They are fabulous. My 3 boys love them.
Dear Alyssa,
I love your recipes and like to print them for later. My printer works for other places but not your. Any ideas?
HMM! I am bummed it is not working for you. I will look into this and see what I can do. It is an extra step but you can always copy and paste the recipe into a word document in the mean time if needed and print from there. Thanks so much for letting me know! XOXO